


We Could Be Heroes

by GhostyFacey



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - High School, F/F, Gen, lowkey angsty, superpower au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:01:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25787011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GhostyFacey/pseuds/GhostyFacey
Summary: Most of the students at Purgatory High have realized what their power is by now, but Waverly Earp is starting to doubt that she's just a late bloomer.
Relationships: Waverly Earp & Nicole Haught, Waverly Earp/Nicole Haught
Comments: 5
Kudos: 88





	We Could Be Heroes

_“Come on! Just how mama used to do it!” Wynonna encourages, her hands balled into fists, the rest of her body mimicking as she is hunched over—watching Waverly intently as her younger sister is staring at a can of soda._

_Waverly’s brows are furrowed so close together, her body is tense with anticipation, hope, and fear. All she has to do is move the can just a bit…  
She can’t do it._

_The August sun is beating down on her a little too heavily and the breeze just isn’t strong enough to comfort her. She can feel every bead of sweat forming in the crown of her scalp and traveling down, down—burning her eyes, salting her lips, dripping off of her chin…_

_She can’t do it._

_Wynonna is standing a little too close to her, staring at her like she’s one of the animals at the zoo in the big city. Her eyes piercing something fierce into Waverly’s temple and all the younger Earp wants is space and to just focus..._

_She can’t do it._

_The barn they’re standing in front of is an awful back drop. It’s large, old and ugly. Waverly can’t concentrate on the can while she’s standing in front of something that seems to be decaying more and more every second. At the same time, perhaps whatever life is left in the barn will take pity on her and just swallow the damn can and get it out of her sight once and for all._

_She can’t do it._

_It’s a rusty can of root beer, probably from the days when Wynonna had that darn pellet gun and kept shooting at anything and everything. She liked using her own sound effects and narration of what she was shooting at and why. The can was probably a whiskey glass that belonged to a dastardly outlaw that Wynonna conjured up._

_“It’s no use,” Waverly drops her hands by her sides and hangs her head dispiritedly, “I’ll never be like mama.”_

_Wynonna is crouching now, one hand landing on her sister’s shoulder and the other gently cradling her chin._

_“Hey, it’s okay—you’ll get it. You just have to practice,” Waverly won’t look at her, she wants to just shrink down to nothing. All she wants is to be just like her mother, to make her proud—maybe then she’d come back._

\----------------

“I don’t know why you insist on catching a ride with me to school when you can clearly get here faster than I can,” Waverly huffs at Wynonna.

“These boots may have been made for walking, Waves—but I wasn’t.” Wynonna playfully nudges her sister with her elbow. Waverly scoffs and turns her head to survey the incoming students of Purgatory High. She could see Doc and the other boys walking towards them from the opposite part of the parking lot. Not too far away, the football boys are playing catch in front of Champ Hardy’s truck. Pete York tosses the ball just far enough to land right next to the cheerleaders. Cheer Captain Stephanie Jones shoots them a look and Chrissy Nedley is far too excited to launch the ball back in their direction with a wink.

Waverly takes a look around the front lawn of the school, her eyes landing on Nicole Haught as she walks up to some of her teammates from the girls’ basketball team. Nicole was the same year as Wynonna and to Waverly’s knowledge, she doesn’t have a power either. Well, that is if you don’t count her charm and her athleticism and her smile…

"Stop staring at your girlfriend and get to homeroom, nerd," Wynonna pushes past her sister and jogs up the stairs into the school. Waverly steals another look at Nicole, she's laughing at something her teammate said and the sunlight is making her skin and hair glow something ethereal. Bustling students and the second warning bell are drowned out to a dull roar while Waverly lets her gaze linger just a bit longer--and for a brief moment it seemed like Nicole looked up and smiled at her.

That was enough to snap Waverly out of her trance and hurry up the steps into the school.

\----------------

The bell rings and Waverly cannot get out of class fast enough. Wynonna is waiting for her at the end of the hall, along with the rest of the gang. 

“At this rate, I’m thinking your real power is super slo-mo,” Wynonna teases, Waverly is not amused. 

“You know Lucado likes to go the distance with her lectures,” Wynonna gives a sympathetic shrug and leads the way to the lunch tables just outside the hall.

“So, I’m thinking we throw a party at the house Saturday night since Gus is gone with her bingo crew for the weekend?”

“I’m thinking we don’t,” Waverly quips.

“Are we not going to talk about the fact that Wynonna can think?” Doc playfully shoots a look at the elder Earp, instantly earning himself a dead arm.

“Correction, we ARE throwing a party at the house Saturday since Gus is gone with her bringo crew--they call themselves the Revenants, by the way--for the ENTIRE weekend.”

Dolls rolls his eyes and scoffs, “Good luck trying to pull off Project W--Nedley will be on you like flies on--”

“AND--that’s why I’m inviting Chrissy, duh. Nedley won’t do shit if his daughter is involved,” Wynonna winks at a stone faced Dolls.

“You’ve got it all figured out, don’t you--” Waverly trails off when Nicole catches her eye. She turns her head and she swears she can faintly hear her sister bickering with the back of her head...but she’s too focused on the auburn-haired beauty a couple tables over. 

Nicole looks up and smiles at the younger Earp. She gives a friendly wave and Waverly can’t help but zone out everything around her until it’s just them both in the quad. They had numerous classes together and since Waverly hung out with Wynonna and her friends half of the time--they also happened to run in similar circles. Waverly felt like she noticed something new about Nicole every time she looked at her. The beauty mark atop her cheek, those dimples that always, always came around whenever Nicole smiles--that smile…

Waverly is still staring at Nicole when she realizes the redhead is moving up and out of her seat and...floating towards Waverly?

_What the-_

_Oh god._

_Oh no._

_Not now, of all the times this can happen why does it have to be--_

Nicole’s front is almost flush against Waverly’s--her face contorted out of equal parts fear and amusement. The entire courtyard is silent, eyes from all angles burning into the pair.

Waverly feels all the air leave her lungs in an instant--but it doesn’t stop her from making a mad dash for the double doors leading out to the front of the school.

“Waves--wait! You’re my ride home!” Wynonna calls after her, but doesn’t make any attempt to catch up with her sister. She turns around and notices that Nicole is still standing there, nervously scratching her head in front of the impromptu audience. 

“I--excuse us for one second,” Wynonna finally breaks the silence and grabs her bag and Waverly’s too. Before Nicole can even respond the double doors are swinging closed for the second time. 

\-----------------

“Waves! Hey!” Wynonna drops their bags next to the front door of Gus’ house. She hunches over, slightly gasping for air, regretting her poor choice of actually using her power to run all the way home.  
“When the hell were you going to tell me that you could finally move shit with your mind?” 

“That was the first time I actually tapped into it. Right there, in front of everyone…and Nicole…”

“Oh my god, you wanted Red so bad your powers kicked in and well...you got closer to her that’s for sure,” Wynonna about falls over in a fit of laughter and Waverly can only bury her face in her hands, trying to hide from persistent, stinging flashbacks of what happened--but the look on Nicole’s face in that moment was already burned in her brain.

_Fuck. She probably thinks I’m so weird._

Waverly tries to fight the tears welling behind her eyes but it’s no use. Any other time she would have been jumping for joy about finally figuring out how to use her powers.

“Hey, mama would be proud, you know that right?”

“I don’t know if I believe that,” Waverly sniffles, wiping a few tears from her eyes. 

“Sure you can! Everybody in this family knows that you have the ability to do whatever you set your mind to...that’s why you’re so stubborn.”

“Shut up,” Waverly tries to glare at her sister but the sincerity in Wynonna’s eyes makes her think better of it, “thanks I guess.”

“Of course, sis. I gotta pack before Doc picks me up, you gonna be okay by yourself tonight?” 

“I’ll probably just stream the entire cult classics genre and try to forget about today.”

“God, you’re so boring sometimes--why not invite Haught Stuff over?”

“You’re not serious...”

“I’m dead serious, babygirl, she only lives a couple streets over. This can be your chance!”

“I would rather be on that trip with Gus and her bingo buddies,” Waverly groans, flopping against the couch.

“Hey! The Revenants are mild but wild. I’m JUST saying you could do something a little more riveting on a Friday night...something tall, pale, and red-headed--”

“Please leave already!” Waverly throws a pillow but Wynonna sidesteps the projectile with ease.

“Whatever you say, I’ll see you at the party tomorrow,” Wynonna dashes out the door before Waverly can protest.

\--------------

Waverly is just finishing up the first movie of the night when she hears a knock at her door. She takes the risk of not looking through the peephole and is greeted by the last person she needed to see tonight.

“Hi,” Nicole gives a warm smile and it’s annoyingly disarming for the smaller girl.

“Hey,” Waverly responds meekly.

“I uh--did you know that we lived pretty close to each other?” Nicole jokes, sticking a thumb out behind her to further illustrate what she said.

“I might have known that,” Waverly taps her foot a few times before she speaks again, “is everything okay? Did I hurt you from...you know...earlier?”

“Oh no, no. Everything is okay, I promise. I just...was in the neighborhood and--wanted to stop by and actually see if you were okay?”

“I’m good,” Waverly lies, she was severely embarrassed and wished that she had the power to teleport so she could go anywhere but here.

“You sure? You made quite the exit at lunch today,” Nicole presses just a bit, she knows that anyone, including her would be feeling the same way Waverly was feeling right now about the situation.

“Did Wynonna put you up to this?”

“She may have called me…” Nicole rocks a bit on her heels. Truthfully she was very aware of how close she lived to the Earp sisters and was good enough friends with Wynonna to oblige when she got the call to check in on Waverly a few hours ago.

“We don’t have to talk if you don’t want to--but I do.”

“You do?” Waverly looks up at Nicole, a look of uncertainty flashes across her face.

“Yes.”

“I--do you want to come inside for a bit?” The smaller girl steps aside and opens the door a little wider for Nicole.

“I’d like that,” Nicole says before stepping past Waverly, her signature smell of vanilla dipped donuts rushes past Waverly, only grazing her nostrils for a moment.

“Is that your mom?” Nicole asks, she’s pointing at the picture on the table just past the doorway. Waverly shuts the door and carefully approaches the taller woman as if she were sharing the space with a skittish animal she was trying to calm. Waverly really couldn’t believe that Nicole Haught was standing in her house, just the two of them.

“No, that’s my aunt Gus. This is my mom.” She points to the woman beside gus, long brown hair that could make a mare jealous and a glint in her smile that told everyone she could steal the moon and get away with it too.

“You look a lot like her.” Nicole is smiling, eyes never leaving the photo.

“I get that sometimes.”

“So, is your house usually this empty or?” Nicole tries to laugh off the implications that might have tied themselves to her words.

“Occasionally, my aunt is in Vegas for the weekend and Wynonna is over at Doc’s place.”

“And you’re just here?” Nicole asks, throwing a hand up to gesture at the big and mostly empty house.

“Yup, just me, myself and some old movies,” Waverly makes her way to the couch and Nicole follows suit, sitting down with Waverly.

“Look,” Nicole starts, “what happened today--it’s okay,” she looks over at Waverly, her face soft but serious--realizing that this might be something a little bit more important than Waverly accidentally lifting Nicole out of her seat. 

“I single handedly embarrassed both of us in front of everyone--you don’t have to lie and tell me it’s okay,” Waverly looks away, feelings left over from earlier in the day give her a swift kick to the ribs.

“It _is_ okay--at the very least it was an accident and nobody got hurt.”

“I guess,” they both sit in the silence. Nicole’s fingers tap on the arm of the couch before she finally decides to shift her body so she’s completely facing the girl across from her.

“That wasn’t supposed to happen was it?” Sympathetic brown eyes looking into anxious hazel ones.

“Not at all,” Waverly turns away, taking a deep breath to still herself, “it was as much of a surprise to me as it was to you that’s for sure.”

“You haven’t used your power before?”

“Nope, I knew what it was supposed to be--I got it from my mom--but it just never happened no matter how hard I tried.”

“So, what made today so different?”

“Beats me.”

_That’s a lie_

“Well, I’m genuinely happy for you to have discovered your power--even if it was at my expense,” Nicole jokes, giving Waverly a playful nudge with her elbow. They both share a look in silence when Nicole’s phone starts to ring.

“Ah, I have to get going--” Nicole peels herself off the couch, Waverly gets up and walks her to the door.

“Hey! I’m not sure if Wynonna already told you--but we’re having a party here tomorrow night if you want to stop by since you know, you’re so close.” Waverly awkwardly gestures beyond the door and they both laugh out of nerves.

“I’ll be there,” Nicole smiles at Waverly, those dimples coming out yet again to draw Waverly in. Nicole is starting to make her way down the porch stairs and Waverly realizes this might be her last chance to ask Nicole something that’s been on her mind well before the redhead arrived at her doorstep.

“Nicole?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you--have a power?”

Nicole pauses, she looks down at the ground and toes a small crack in the cement right before the stairs. It’s enough to make Waverly instantly regret asking, she feels compelled to apologize profusely until Nicole looks back up at her with that captivating smile and a glint in her eye that tells Waverly it might not have been a bad question to ask at all.

“I do--I can read minds,” Nicole turns back to make her way down the driveway until she disappears from Waverly’s view--who is still standing there, frozen after realizing that Nicole could have heard every thought she ever had about the redhead ever. 

She’d be mortified if not for the fact that Nicole agreed to come to the party, except then the realization Nicole can read minds slams into her full force. Nicole can read minds. Nicole can read _her_ mind. Has she read her mind before? 

Oh god, Nicole can read minds.

Waverly takes in a few calming breaths, trying to ease herself back down to a normal pulse rate. Maybe it wasn’t such a big deal. Nicole had manners, she’d probably be respectful enough not to invade her privacy like that. But if she knows what Waverly thinks about her, why hasn’t she tried making a move before? Was it Wynonna? 

Shaking herself out of her thoughts, she decides she’s done being passive about her crush. _Her_ power kicked in when it did for a reason, and if that reason was to fall in love with Nicole Haught, who was she to deny her abilities? If Nicole can read her mind and still not make the first move, then she’d be the brave one. 

For once.

**Author's Note:**

> I had this in my drafts for so long, geez. Thank you for reading!


End file.
